Humility - soil for joy
Writing on humility is profoundly challenging so here comes the necessary caveat – thinking about this has shown me how much I lack it! But I’m increasingly convinced that humility is foundational to spiritual growth. For Augustine, humility is step 1 on the journey of knowing God AND step 2 AND step 3. We rightly often talk about God’s unconditional love but miss out the condition for us receiving it – humility. Humility is a magnet for God’s presence.
These are the ones I look on with favour: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word. Is 66:2
My dad shared this verse with me a few weeks ago and I keep coming back to it. Here is the key to our longing that God would bless us with his presence and revive his church. At a time where we face horror in Europe and uncertainty at home, more than ever we need this.
James takes no prisoners - “God opposes the proud but shows favour to the humble” James 4:6. Why is pride so serious? Shouldn’t we celebrate achievement? Yes, unless we hog the glory. The pride that God opposes is the pride that raises self above God and others. That’s the foundational sin which C.S.Lewis describes as the chief cause of misery in every nation and every family since the world began. Pride is the gateway to sin. Which means humility is not an optional extra in the Christian life. It’s not like getting an easyjet ticket and adding humility as baggage; humility is the ticket.
So how do we become humble? We are expected to do something. The Bible commands us to humble ourselves. There are choices to make.
But before getting there, the English language is glitchy and we can misunderstand humility. It isn’t guilt – Jesus was humble and not guilty. It isn’t self-hatred; God loves us. It isn’t lack of ambition – it’s avoiding ambition for the wrong thing. It isn’t being silenced – we are called to speak for God. It isn’t a joy-killer – it’s ultimately joyfully liberating when we lay down striving for recognition. And it isn’t dull and colourless! Yes, humility is like the brown earth, coming from the word humus, but here is rich soil that produces bright flowers, mellow fruits, vintage wine, fragrant herbs and warm bread.
As Andrew Murray writes, “If humility is to be our joy, we must see that is not only the mark of shame because of sin but apart from all sin, a being clothed … with the very beauty and blessedness of Jesus.”
There is much more to say but for me, humility is here – fleshed out in Jesus and in us in utter dependence on God. Scroll through the pictures that describe your relationship with God – they are all pictures of dependence - a branch and a vine, a body and head. a creature and the Creator, a child and a parent. Jesus was blunt, “Apart from me you can do nothing.” Humility is us living like that is true.
Over recent weeks, I have asked others what humbling yourself looks like and here are some of the answers – worship, hidden service, undefended listening, accepting our limits, patience, fasting, eyes on God not other’s approval, saying sorry to God and others, not taking offence, teamwork, deliberately inquiring of God, accountability, teachability and teasability – in other words, the daily enormously challenging choice to lift up God and others over myself.
This Lent, how could we humble ourselves? One person told me that she daily prays this prayer:
'Every morning I lay out the pieces of my life on the altar and wait for your fire to fall upon my heart.' Psalm 5:3 The Passion Translation
I believe if we all prayed and lived this out together, revival would come.
